The Harrison House on Willowmere Avenue

The Harrison family established their Willowmere Avenue residence in 1912 after Edward Harrison commissioned the Craftsman mansion following his success in the regional furniture trade. Three generations lived there, including Edward, his wife Clara, their children, and later grandchildren who shared the broad family home. The family income came from furniture manufacturing, woodworking contracts, and local architectural projects.

Historical records describe the residence as a respected neighborhood property with active use of the library, porch rooms, and upper bedrooms during the years when the Harrison business remained profitable.

The first warning sign appeared in 1927 when Harrison Woodworks recorded reduced orders and delayed payments from construction clients. During the economic downturn of the early 1930s, Edward dismissed workers, closed part of the workshop, and reduced household expenses. Several guest rooms were shut, and repairs to the terracotta roof, porch structure, and garden paths were postponed. After Edward’s illness in 1933, his children struggled to manage the business. By 1935, unpaid company debts and property taxes forced the family to leave Willowmere Avenue and relocate to smaller homes nearby.

The Harrison House was abandoned in 1936 after foreclosure followed years of manufacturing decline, unpaid debts, and financial hardship. No restoration occurred, and no Harrison descendants returned after leaving Willowmere Avenue. Municipal records noted unresolved ownership transfers and continued deterioration of the vacant residence. The interior rooms remained closed, preserving family documents, furniture, and personal belongings from the final period of occupation. Over the decades, moisture, weather exposure, and structural wear affected the property. The Craftsman mansion remains on the residential street, slowly deteriorating without restoration or a confirmed future owner.